


Don't Need Sight to See You

by rennitz



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Normal High School, Blind Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 05:58:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10915737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rennitz/pseuds/rennitz
Summary: Duo's a blind student in high school, who excels and gets along with most everyone, especially his best friend Trowa. Enter a forgein exchange student, Wufei, who adds a new light to Duo's dark life.





	Don't Need Sight to See You

Always one to bypass any distraction he can in order to remain focused and drive productivity, Wufei sits front and center in his newest classroom and unloads his books and writing/highlighting supplies. 

He's about to crack his textbook when a tapping at the door draws his attention up to the student filling the doorway and Wufei does a double-take from his initial glance, watching as the visually impaired student takes the seat just inside the door, right next to him. 

Great, he thinks, knowing the professor will consider him in the 'support' position for said student. Wufei sighs and looks back to his textbook, trying to ignore the student beside him. A difficult task when they have a meter long braid, violet eyes and are fucking attractive as fuck. Wufei sighs again, scowling down at his textbook.

Duo clicks softly under his breath, gauging the room's size and the distance to any general object. Four rows of desks, six desks each, one other student in the class at the moment, and the teacher. Alright. He slides into his desk and takes out his portable brailler and a small stack of paper, setting himself up before class and settling back in his chair. Still the only other one, he turns to face the other with a little smile.  
"Hi, you must be the new kid. I'm Duo, Duo Maxwell. Nice ta meet ya!"

Wufei raises one brow and looks aside without turning his head, wondering why this kid is talking to him. "Chang." he answers, dropping his eyes back down to his textbook and flipping a few more pages. 

The new kid? He's not sure how Duo would know that, except for the fact that it seemed no one else in this god forsaken country knew how to be prompt. Black eyes glance to the wall clock and he exhales with disapproval. Eight minutes to class and only two students present. 

Eyes widening with interest, Duos smile remains intact. "Oh wow! Finally someone who'd likely have more on his mind than the usual rocks 'round here. It's a pleasure on my end, Chang. Listen, don't worry about helpin' me. I'm pretty self-sustainin'." That and it makes his stomach tighten at the mere thought of pity in this stranger's eyes. He wonders what Wufei's look like.

The last thing Duo had seen before his eyesight had faded complete had been the doctor's eyes. That last moment, they'd filled with pity and made Duo sick. His crying mother had kept apologizing for the boy while his father had yelled at him. Duo had only been three but he'd remembered it vividly. He remembered his mother's eyes, a pure and soft blue, gentle, loving. He had hers for the most part. The brightness in his own along with the violet tinge was where they questioned him.

His father had spent many a night screaming at his mother, demanding to know who she'd fucked to produce Duo, especially once his eyesight started failing. It'd gotten better after the divorce and it was just Duo and his mom, the pair of them happy and content. But then had come the day when she'd been late to pick him up from school. Three hours later, Duo was at his father's with the knowledge that his mom had been hit by a dump truck that had ran a stop sign. Her body had been pulverized with only her purse's contents identifying her. He'd been seven at the time.

The years since then had been filled with anger, hate, and pain of all sorts. Duo's father made it no secret that he didn't want the boy at all and pretty much had left him to fend for himself. Duo learned the house easily enough as well as how to raise himself, but then he'd have to learn the differences between his father's different steps. He learned when was alright to be seen, when the man sought to beat him with his wide leather belt, when he was drunk and would either beat him or curse him or both, and when he needed to absolutely disappear.

That had spawned from the night the man had come home deadly drunk and completely out of his wits. Duo didn't know who the old man thought his son was, but he'd found himself pinned down and screaming as his father ripped his innocence away with a crushing hand on his throat. The man had passed out on the boy after and when he'd woken, he found himself in the same position. Not remembering what'd happened, he blamed Duo, calling him a slut and a whore and doing it again. Since then, Duo had stayed out of his way any chance he got.

Of course, you'd never know any of that just by looking at the bright and cheerful face on the blind boy. Heck, most people didn't even realize he was blind at first, not when he didn't have his brailler with him. No, Duo was just a happy, if blind, boy. Not even his best friend knew. Trowa walked in a moment later and gently tugged one of Duo's bangs.

"Beat me again, rebenok," the tall boy murmured softly. His eyes cut to Wufei but didn't ask. Duo knew, though, and grinned wide.

"Tro, this is Chang. Chang, Trowa. He's a good guy. If you ever need any help or anythin', he's who ya go to."

Trowa nodded at Wufei with a guarded expression. He was always wary about new people around Duo but he wouldn't be outright rude. "Trowa Barton, specifically. Welcome, Chang." He didn't say Wufei was in his seat but instead took up the usually empty seat behind him.

Wufei doesn't bother to respond to Duo's first comment, though he had been worried about being expected to help him. Not that he thought he needed it, but teachers had an annoying habit of forcing good-willed actions upon those who don't necessarily need them. 

Another tall student enters the room and Wufei's presented with another pet peeve. Being told who to associate with. Being told good things about someone immediately puts Wufei on the defensive and he looks skeptically up at the other boy as he enters and makes his own introduction. Wufei is his own judge of character, certainly not willing to take this one stranger's word on the other. He got the feeling, from the cold green gaze he was returned, that this boy held a similar opinion of the situation. 

Oddly enough, that made Wufei more likely to heed the blind boy's assessment of Trowa more than empty proclamations of him being worthy. 

"Thank you." Wufei responds as Trowa takes the seat behind him. At least they both seemed to have manners.

When class starts, Duo follows the teacher with his unseeing eyes and keeps his ears sharp. As he takes notes, his fingers fly silently over the keyboard of his brailler and produce almost hieroglyphic results on the paper. He'd tried to teach Trowa Braille once with minimal success. Duo, on the flip side, was much better at learning Russian. Trowa had jokingly suggested it was because his friend was all ear.

While he sat there, Duo listens curiously for Wufei next to him. His nostrils flare slightly and catch the new scent. He knew what everyone smelled like and always did; people sometimes tried to fool him with perfumes and colognes but Duo always knew. Their own chemical scents blended with the artificial ones and gave them away. Wufei's scent was immediately caught and registered and...fascinating. He smelled like far-off places and exotic foods and an underlying spiciness that nearly made Duo swoon. He bites his lip and tries hard to focus. He murmurs softly to Trowa in Russian that Wufei smells good and the taller boy laughs softly.

Trowa looks between Duo and Wufei thoughtfully. His dearest friend seemed taken with this new boy. He himself was skeptical about this Chang person. Aloof and frosty, he gave off the vibe like everyone here was below him. Well, actually.... actually he reminds Trowa of his own boyfriend when he had first transferred in. Heero had been a cold and scathing thing liable to cuss you up and down in Japanese as look at you. He'd only really taken actual notice in Trowa when the Russian had done the same thing back in his own native tongue. He chuckles over the thought that all Duo would have to do to win Chang is learn Mandarin. He could certainly do it.

It takes only a few minutes for Wufei to realize this class is eons behind where he'd left off before moving to the States. He sits back and crosses his arms, closing his eyes to simply listen to the teacher instead of reading along in the book. Yet another 55 minutes of his day wasted. The inefficiency of the American school system was infuriating. 

A light murmuring beside him has him peeking his eyes back open and he realizes a moment later it's not English he's hearing. Then Trowa laughs behind him and Wufei frowns, almost sure he was the topic being discussed. Otherwise why not English? Well, it wasn't the first time, it wouldn't be the last and Wufei could care less what these two had to say about him. Agitated, he flips the page in his textbook and tries to drown out the teacher's lesson. 

Restless, he only manages two paragraphs before he takes up his pen and begins inking along the borders. He insults the book with neatly printed lines of Kanji running down the edge of each page.

Duo hears scratches next to him and listens curiously. Wondering if he'll be able to figure it out, he takes up a pen and copies what he hears onto the paper. He focuses hard so his own movements are only a brief tic behind Wufei's and using the sound of the pen to judge its distance and motions. It's a skill he hasn't used very often and it makes some of the lines a little off but the gist is there. He really wishes he knew more about this Chang person.

After class, Duo and Trowa part ways, Trowa to his history class and Duo to his poetry class. He has a bounce to his step as he goes, familiar enough with the way that he doesn't need to click. The energetic boy greets those who call to him by name before deftly dodging a book thrown at him. Great. Just who he didn't want to see. Levi.

"What's this? No Barton to guard you? Well, well." A short if highly intimidating boy strides towards Duo with a dangerous look in his eyes. Not that the blind boy could see, but he could definitely feel the roiling and sick emotions coming nearer. It was enough to make it hard to breathe. Duo backs up until he hits the wall and is suddenly aware they're alone. Everyone ran to avoid getting targeted by the vicious bully. "Must be my lucky day."

"Levi, don't. I told you before, I don't need Trowa to protect me. I can kick yer ass well enough myself. But right now, I'm tryin' ta get to class." Duo's voice is even if annoyed.

Levi snorts derisively. "Poetry. That class is as gay and useless as you are." At Duo's deep scowl, the boy chuckles low. "Come on, Maxwell. Admit it, already. What use is there for a blind kid in the world? What can you do? You. Are. Nothing."

With Duo cornered, Levi takes his opportunity and starts in on him. Grabbing his braid first off, he yanks Duo down to the floor and steps on his throat hard enough that he can't cry out for help. Keeping a firm hold on the rope of hair, Levi kicks Duo in the sides, gut, chest, thighs, and knees hard and repeatedly. He'd get his groin or head if he could, but the one is protected by leg and the other would either free his victim's throat or make him unsteady.

When he's done, Levi spits on the broken boy and just walks away. Duo lays there as a mess of pain, bruises, blood, and not a few tears.

Wufei was easily the first out of the classroom once the bell rang. He'd been counting down each minute until he was free to pace down the hall to his next cage. Unfortunately the class is a form of mathematics he'd already covered back home. However, the school system being what it was, they had told him he had to take this class for the 3 credits he would need from that department. No, there wasn't a placement test, that was for college level courses. Of course. 

Frowning, agitated, feeling hostile with his situation, Wufei turns the corner and stops, checking the time and reaching a decision. He's not going to class. Not this one. As well-versed as he is in the subject, he despises it and after the last class has little patience left to listen to a lecture about it. He waits three more minutes for the halls to thin out and then turns down another direction, heading for the art wing. 

He narrows his eyes at a lump on the ground at the far end, identifying it as a person immediately and looks around. No one in sight. He takes a few jogging steps forward and recognizes the rope of hair splayed across the tile and picks up the pace, dropping to a kneel beside Duo. 

"Maxwell.." he says before he reaches him, then slowly touches his arm. The boy is curled tightly on his side and Wufei recognizes the injuries with a burning anger rising.   
"Are you badly hurt?" he asks, glancing in all directions again, this time for a suspect. He doesn't want to handle the blind boy too much, afraid of further scaring him or worsening his injuries.

Duo hears steps he doesn't know and cringes a little. At this point, unknowns are bad and could mean pain. He tries to shrink in further on himself to no avail. Besides, black clothes on a dull tan floor? Hardly a chameleon. But then he catches that scent and dares to hope as his brain subconsciously connects that walk to the transfer student. "Chang... that you? Yeah, pretty rough. Kid named Levi. Wish I could tell ya what he looks like." Duo gives a weak chuckle before coughing up blood. "Damn. Listen, I don't wanna bother you, but can ya help me to the nurse? I'll give ya directions." His tone is a little hopeful. If Wufei doesn't help, he'll have to wait for someone else and hope they're friendly.

"Mn, bastard always singles me out. I think you'd hate him. He's mean an' nasty an' loves pickin' fights with those what can't fight back. An' he's dirty. I can fight," Duo quickly clarifies. "I can fight damn well, but he went right fer my weakness." Reaching for his braid, Duo sighs softly once it's in his hand. "I hate him..." The phrase is foreign to the boy, not something usually in his vocabulary, but the emotion behind it is sincere.

"It's me." Wufei answers, helping Duo sit up and watching as he takes his braid in hand. Weakness? Peculiar thing to keep if that's true, but Wufei refocuses on what the other is saying, logging the name of the one responsible. But then Duo coughs up a bit of blood against the back of his hand and Wufei curses in his own language, calling Duo a moron for good measure before he switches to English. 

"Come on, on your feet." he says quietly, leaning in close and looping an arm under Duo's shoulder before nearly effortlessly lifting him. Duo hardly has to move on his own, Wufei easily supporting him. "Which way? Oh.. your shirt." he mumbles, watching as blood drips from Duo's mouth, down his chin and onto the fabric. Wufei sighs, "No saving it, now." and with surprising tenderness when he's nearly holding all of Duo's weight, dabs the shirt against the corner of Duo's mouth.

Duo feels the blood and notes it, but is caught up in what Wufei had said. He thinks a moment and moves his mouth silently before daring to speak it. " Báichī?" He repeats with the accents. "What's that?" Holding back a grunt, he nods down the hall. "That way, please. An' don't worry about my shirt. Mom's good at getting the blood out. It'll be fine." The dab catches him by surprise and he answers with a smile just as tender for his help. "Thank you, Chang. This means a lot to me."

As they walk, Duo feels the sudden urge to vent a little to this new person. Keeping his voice down to not draw attention, he murmurs, "I hate this. When people like him do that, I feel so weak. I feel like the useless cripple they call me. But I'm not. I'm at the top of all my classes, I'm a tutor, an' I'm even on the junior varsity track team. I'm not weak. I can't be weak or I'd've been dead a real long time ago. I can't stand how people see my blindness and use it to define me. Yeah, I'm blind. But that ain't who I am."

Wufei blinks when Duo repeats the word perfectly and then smiles, "Don't worry about it." But the smile doesn't last long when Duo thanks him for his help. It makes him wonder what the other students in the school would have done. Have done for him, if anything. Fucking stupid ass country. 

He turns them down the intended hallway, listening to Duo's quiet complaints. And he can't blame the boy. All he's accomplished sincerely impresses the hard-to-impress Chinese student and he can't imagine the balls of the asshole who'd done this to him. What kind of low life inbred sack of shit would so dishonor the hard work and due diligence of someone overcoming obstacles as successfully as this Duo seems to. 

"Hm. What do you tutor?" he inquires, showing his first signs of sincere interest in anything since arriving at the school.

Duo hears the smile and thrills at it- he'd made Chang actually smile! The desire to know what the other looks like burns brighter still in his heart but he still doesn't dare ask. Wufei wanting to continue the conversation goes further still towards actually counting the other as a friend. "Two things, actually. Poetry is my favorite cuz of my ear. I can detect the rhythm an' cadence, assign a style, an' tell who they're emulating. Or if they're plagiarizing. There's always one that tries it but fails. The other thing is AP chem. I love chemistry, but Trowa has to be my lab partner. Not that that's a bad thing, like I told you, he's awesome. Only reason he ain't here now is cuz his class is on the other side of the school."

Not entirely sure where they are since he's not walking himself, Duo clicks softly and listens. "Turn left up here, please. Anyway, Levi wouldn't dare try this if Trowa was around. Ev'ryone knows that guy has muscle. He's gentle as a hamster but when you make him mad... yikes. I hear it and it's, well, it gets wet. On that note, and please don't be offended or creeped out by this, but you feel very strong. What do you do to stay in shape?"

Wufei blinks when Duo mentions poetry, glancing to the side at him. That was unexpected. But perhaps not; that art form is quite acoustically oriented. His grin fades to a meer wry grin as they continue their conversation. What a bizarre circumstance to find another poet, he thinks. 

Mention of Trowa again has Wufei piquing in interest again, deciding that he should, in fact, give the tall boy further consideration. Perhaps he'd finally stumbled across two individuals worth knowing since his travels began. 

Duo's last statement has Wufei snorting lightly, as close as he'll come to a sound of amusement. Offended or creeped out? Hardly. Still, the comment makes him aware of their close proximity and he gets the slightest heat building at the tip of his ears, keeping his strong supportive grip around Duo's torso. 

"Martial arts." he answers curtly. Duo couldn't see him, but surely he'd assumed his nationality by his name, and suddenly Wufei is frowning again. He despises stereotypes, and having to admit to one always turns him the wrong way out. It was an innocent enough question, and Wufei tries not to hold it against Duo.

The blind boy feels the heat and wonders why Wufei blushes until he hears the answer. Ah. While he couldn't see, he imagined that someone named Chang would likely look as Asian as their name. Of course he was expected to laugh about the chinese boy doing karate or something equally stupid and offensive. Duo senses Wufei's discomfort and irritation and frowns worriedly for just a second before his smile returns. "That's awful broad. Let's see... forgive me, but yer Chinese, so you might practice Chinese styles. We talkin' traditional things like bafaquan, fut gar, houquan, longquan (I like that one myself)? Or maybe somethin' more modern like i liq chuan, kuntao, or sanshou?" He chuckles softly. "Sorry. Generalities are irritating as I'm guessin' you know."

Duo yawns with a wince. "I know we ain't really had a chance ta properly get ta know one another, but I like you, Chang. I'm grateful that you help me. Tro will thank you, too. An' if yer worried about him, don't be, please. When his boyfriend transferred in from Japan, he only managed to talk him down from bein' a touchy asshole by tellin' him off in Japanese. Tro is fluent in several languages except braille. Can't understand ta save his life." He chuckles softly at that. "Don't reckon he knows Mandarin, though. I don't, but from what I've heard outta you, it's truly beautiful. I'd like ta learn." 

Wufei continues ushering them down the hall, listening to Duo and preparing an answer until Duo continues talking and he has to crack a grin. He listens patiently, figuring someone who can't see must have grown accustomed to expressing themselves quite verbally. Which is fine, Duo has a nice voice. Suddenly Wufei's glancing at him with that thought and fights to keep from blushing all over again. 

"Yes." He manages to answer with a recovering grin, "I've studied those. Been a student of my father's all my life; he's a kinesiologist." he explains further, blinking and going quiet when he realizes that's the first time he's spoken to another of his father in years. "Well, anyway, I've studied those forms and others."

He's at a loss as to what to do with the rest of what Duo's told him. He's so frank, so openly honest. Something Wufei has never been. "Th- thank you." he manages, adjusting his arm under Duo's weight.

"Chang... I'm sorry if I've come on too strong," Duo murmurs quietly, turning his head to gaze at him with his clouded eyes (even if one was swelling shut). "But it truly is amazing when someone helps me without pity. And that's... I've not once felt pity from you. Concern an' sympathy, oh yeah, but pity? Not once. That alone means the world to me." He puts his hand on the wall next to the Nurse's door. "I'd even go so far as ta say I consider you a real friend. Please consider gettin' ta know me more, hm?" His smile is soft and very open, no sarcasm or hidden agenda around him whatsoever.

The nurse, having seen them approach, opens her door and gasps at Duo's state. "Oh, no, not again! Come on in, Duo, dear. And who are you?" Defensive of the blind boy, her tone showed that as well as suspicion and hinted at a scolding. To her surprise, Duo laughs softly and gestures with his head at Wufei, lightly laying it on his guardian's shoulder.

"This is Chang, Ms. Ellis. He's new here an' is the one what found me after Levi did his thing."  
The older woman snorted with pure disapproval. "Levi! I should have guessed. Well, Mister Chang, I apologize and thank you. Please, bring Duo on in and sit him in the side room. You're welcome to go back to class if you'd like, but if you want to stay I won't object if Duo doesn't. Just tell me where you're supposed to be and I'll write a note."

Wufei blinks at the nurse, at Duo resting his head on his shoulder, and then back at the nurse with his face a bit more warm than before. He swallows as he prepares to answer the woman's accusations, but there is no need after Duo's explanation and he nods at the nurse, helping Duo into the indicated side room. 

A brown backless couch lines one wall of the tiny area, and Wufei lowers Duo onto it before taking a seat next to him. He thinks a moment and decides to get that note after all, having been planning to miss his next class anyway. The nurse nods and retreats back to her desk. 

Wufei sighs and leans forward, clasping his hands together and looking over at Duo beside him. ".....Levi, hm?" he mutters, making another assessing noise in his throat. Still, Duo had said he could fight and handle himself, and Wufei had no reason to doubt that claim. Having Trowa around was certainly a blessing for the blind boy, Wufei reminded himself, and eased himself down from the sudden urge he felt for retribution. This was not his fight. 

With another light sigh, Wufei moves back on the couch and rests his back against the wall. "So what now, they give you some bandaids and you get to fill out a useless statement that will do nothing to remedy the situation, am I right?" He shakes his head without waiting for a reply. "Typical American system."

"Yeah, Levi," Duo sighs as he settles on the couch with Wufei. "He's a big bully but his dad is on the board so he's pretty much untouchable. So there's no form to sign, no nothin' like that." Bitterness colored his voice for the first time since their initial meeting and Duo scowls at the opposite wall. "I really don't like him. But there's nothing I can do! I fight back and it's my ass that's in trouble for damaging that monster. Pretty much forced to be weak."

Needing comfort, Duo dared to curl against Wufei with a soft whimper of pain. "You're very warm. It's nice. And you smell very good, too. Spicy, but also... sweet. The sweetness is muted, more like a faint afterthought than any actual scent. You are a good person. But you hurt sometimes, so you've had to put up this front of a cold bastard to help save your dignity. And you have... so much of that." Duo's voice is almost reverent. "Oh wow, Wufei... I wish I could see your face. A man like you, a... proud Dragon.... you've gotta look amazing. Even if you don't, you're probably the best person I know."

Wufei is nodding at the injustice of the system forcing the other student into weakness when suddenly Duo is curling up against him and Wufei's mind startles. He fights to keep his body still, but his mind and eyes are racing about, blinking in confusion as he finds himself quite close and companionable with this near stranger. This type of behavior is unheard of back home, though he'd been warned Americans rarely understood or embraced the notion of personal space. 

But then it gets so much more jarring. If the physicality of Duo's interactions weren't enough, his verbal fluidity was astoundingly personal. Wufei is shocked silent, blinking large black eyes down at the injured boy as he just continues dissecting him, speaking as though he truly knows him. It should feel extremely invasive, and yet somehow doesn't which simply leaves Wufei more bewildered. His face heats immensely when Duo starts describing his.. his scent? He has a scent? And then his character. The words just keep falling from Duo's mouth and Wufei's opens in disbelief, unsure he'd ever know how to respond to any of this. 

The silence stretches for a few moments too long and he begins to worry Duo will think him rude or callous, but he cannot for the life of him come up with the 'proper' response to everything he's just heard. "It's Chang." he hears himself say and cringes, knowing even with his standoffish demeanor that that response had been a bit cold. "...I.. I'm nothing of significance, really. Just.. Chang." 

But Wufei doesn't pull away. His body is tense and perhaps a bit uncomfortable in the unfamiliar situation, but he manages to lift an arm back around Duo's shoulders in a show of acceptance. It's awkward and forced, but as sincere as all the bones in his body. He doesn't want to mind this.

Swallowing, Duo nodded a little and licked his lips lightly. "Chang, I'm sorry. Just Chang." He'd heard a teacher say his name and remembered that Wufei's "first" name was really his last, but figures now that that had been far too personal. "Well, Chang, I'm still hella grateful." He sighs in relief when he feels the other arm on him, accepting him with a little smile. They sit there for several minutes in companionable silence as the nurse works, typing up an incident form that they all know will be dismissed, but she's doing it to give the new friends time. About twenty minutes of this and Duo's looking up at the other.

"Chang, could I ask a favor? Will you come over tonight, even just for a little while? I'd like to spend some time with you, get to know you based on more than just your scent. And of course I'll let you ask whatever you want about me! Normally Trowa comes over, but I can ask him not to if you'd rather."

The silence does Wufei good, letting his nerves calm down and his mind time to adjust to this new experience of being this close to another. Duo is pleasantly warm against him and Wufei logs his thoughts for later, noting most significantly that he, too, is beginning to become aware of the scent of Duo's hair. It was simply something he had never thought about before, and made him wonder how many more things Duo was aware of that he was not. 

"Alright." he answers more quickly than he'd intended, perhaps in a rush to heal his earlier curtness, perhaps with eagerness to see for himself what else Duo could open his eyes to. "But I wouldn't want to put out your friend.."

For eyes that are sightless, Duo's brighten along with his face and entire countenance when his invitation is accepted. Wufei'd said yes! Grinning broadly, Duo sits up with a little chuckle. "Ah, that's awesome! Thanks! Mom'll fix us somethin' to eat like she always does, so is there anythin' you don't like? Or maybe somethin' you do? She's a whiz with food. An' I know Trowa'll be interested ta meet you, too. I mean..." Flushing slightly, Duo licks his lips and coughs a touch. "He's, uh, really protective of me. He'd be interested to see what yer like now that yer actually spendin' time 'round me." Sighing softly, Duo yawns and rubs at his head. "Ow, okay bad idea. Forgot he got me up there."

Yet again Wufei finds himself appreciative that no one is around to witness his reactions to this boy. The brightening of Duo's expression is more endearing than he'd been prepared for, and he catches himself just staring at him. 

Coming back into the conversation, Wufei nods and hums a moment, voicing his acceptance of the invitation while he still struggles to find his tongue in his mouth. He's hardly ever been one to be at a loss for words and the fact that it has happened multiple times today has Wufei considering the implications of him developing an attraction to this other student. The realization backhands him across the face like an ice bucket and he's suddenly anxious about the blind boy's friend seeing right through him. 

"I.. have no preference. Well, I mean anything she fixes would be fine, I'm sure." Truth was, he was still getting used to what people in this country considered meals. He'd been appalled when he'd seen their idea of 'Chinese' food. But then he'd always eaten healthier than most back home, as well. 

Black eyes come alive with concern as Duo winces in pain, and Wufei automatically reaches to stop Duo's hand from rubbing the injured area. He pauses, his hand holding Duo's in the air. Under normal circumstances he'd have asked permission to do what he's about to do, but considering Duo's comfort with their proximity Wufei doubts he will mind this. 

Wufei uses his other hand to gingerly part the chestnut hair, uncovering a pale scalp lightly stained with blood. He frowns, looking around and grabs up a jar of long cotton swabs and a bottle of alcohol. "Blood hasn't dried yet. This shouldn't sting too badly." He says by way of warning before dousing the cotton swab and dabbing it along Duo's scalp. He's had to lean very close and can feel the heat of the other's body. It brings back Wufei's prior concern and the hair on his neck stands up, as if he's expecting to turn and see Trowa standing in the doorway with accusation. 

Clearing his throat and his mind, Wufei murmurs quietly so as not to be too loud in Duo's ear as he continues to clean him up. "You said something back in class.... wasn't English."

Despite Wufei's care to control himself, Duo's blindness gave him the awareness of other things in his vicinity, such as body temperature. Wufei's specifically in this case as it rose slowly the more Duo spoke and the closer the Asian got to him. It didn't feel like embarrassment, but surely it wouldn't be attraction. Not this soon after meeting, definitely, but not only that. Duo was sure that no one would find him appealing to be with given his handicap, so that thought never really occurred to him. Was he attracted to Wufei? It was possible given what he'd sensed and experienced regarding the other's intellect and morals. They were still essentially strangers but Wufei had already proven to be a good Samaritan. 

Still pondering, Duo barely notices when Wufei gets up, but the click of the bottle and sudden harsh scent of alcohol brings him right back to the moment. Blinking pale eyes, he looks up to Wufei's direction in the brief moment he had before the cold and wet swab of burning pain touched his broken skin. "AIE! Oh man that is so COLD and uuuugh you dick that wasn't a warning!" Duo's complaints are in a familiar tone as if he'd known Wufei for years and accompanied by a matching pout. "That hurt!"

Distracted for a moment by Wufei's change of topic but still pouting, Duo huffed in agreement. "No, it was Russian. Tro's Russian an' he taught it to me. Bein' blind helps with learnin' languages somethin' wicked."

A short, soft laugh bursts out of Wufei and he clamps his mouth shut, surprising himself. Duo's reaction to the alcohol had been more than he'd expected, but it was the 'you dick' that got Wufei. How someone could sound charming while being so rude to someone they've just met.. 

"Sorry." Wufei apologizes anyway, still smiling but determined not to laugh again. But it had felt nice. He can't remember the last time he'd even felt the urge to laugh, let alone been surprised into actually doing it. His eyes soften as his hands gingerly comb through the stained hair and he applies the swab again. 

"Mm, Tīng dào zhè ràng wǒ hěn kāixīn." Wufei responds quietly, and it does in fact make him happy to hear Duo has a proclivity with languages. "Perhaps I'll have someone to speak more easily with, after all." 

Russian. He'd have to look that up later.

Wufei's laugh sends tingling waves through Duo along with an odd excitement that he wasn't sure how to address. The sound was like smooth silk and, while it might not have been one the Asian typically makes, it sounded so natural to Duo. He felt Wufei truly relax next to him and couldn't help the wide grin that spread over his face at the thought that he'd done that. He was why this surly and aloof student was smiling and relaxed. If that wasn't a victory, nothing was.

The Mandarin phrase sends chills along Duo's skin and he actually bites his lip a little. Yep, Mandarin officially was his favorite language in place of Russian. "I really would like to learn. I mean, readin' it's obviously out... Say, what does Mandarin look like when it's written? Trowa says Russian looks like English a bit but that Cyrillic has slight diff'rences. He managed to find a sign with raised Cyrillic once an' let me feel."

There is little that Wufei misses and his black eyes look away from Duo's mouth as he worries his lip a moment. It may be a habit of the blind boy's when he's hearing something new and dissecting it, but it immediately felt more personal and something Wufei shouldn't have noticed. So he pretends not to. They had grown quite close enough in their short afternoon together, and he rationalizes as Duo continues to question him that now is a good time to set some boundaries. 

Wufei sets the alcohol aside and seats himself half an arms length from Duo, straightening to regain his space and posture. He does, however, reach for Duo's hand and clinically takes him by the wrist, turning the boy's palm upward. He then purposefully draws a single Character into Duo's palm: 'rabbit'. He'd been painting it the day before and it suddenly seemed relevant. 

"I think you'd find it quite engaging." Wufei answers quietly, knowing Duo would most likely already understand that this was a language of pictures more than words.


End file.
